This shaved brussels sprout salad with kale and bacon is whole30 approved and perfect for the family! On your table in under 30 minutes!
As I mentioned at the beginning of the month, May is all about salads… salads that don’t suck! Salads get a bad rap. I get it. They can have zero flavor and be bland, boring, soppy pieces of wet lettuce. No thank you.
But I’ve cracked the code on what makes a good salad.
- Several textures
- Complimentary flavors
- A delicious dressing to set the whole thing off!
We kicked off the month with a delicious recipe for everything bagel ranch chopped salad added on a Korean Beef Salad with Sriracha Ranch and a chopped Thai brussels sprout salad; but am over the moon for this classic salad …
SHAVED BRUSSELS SPROUT SALAD WITH KALE AND BACON
My love for this salad first appeared about 5 years ago when Pat and I have lunch at Blue Door Farm Stand. And it wasn’t until a went back for brunch with friends a few months ago that I rediscovered how insanely perfect this salad is and knew I had to recreate it and share it with you.
I promise that this will be your go-to weeknight recipe all summer long! And here’s why:
- Tahini-maple dressing. HUBBA HUBBA. This dressing is what dreams are made of – sweet and salty, creamy and thick!
- The vegetables used in the salad are hearty. So if you have any leftovers (which I doubt you will!), the greens won’t wilt overnight.
- And it will be on your table in under 30 minutes!
I could seriously bathe in this tahini maple dressing.
But let’s chat about my favorite parts of this salad >>
Tahini: Tahini is a ground sesame paste – like a nut butter made of sesame seeds! And like that, it has a warm, nutty flavor and super creamy and dreamy. Feel free to sub any other nut butter if you don’t have tahini; but I suggest using something pretty neutral like almond butter.
Shaved brussels sprouts: Shaved sprouts are a favorite salad ingredient of mine. They are hearty and stand up to dressing without wilting and are a neutral flavor to let the other veggies shine. I usually use my food processor to shred them, but you can buy them pre-shredded or simply slice them thin too!
Bacon: I think this goes without saying, but all salads are better with bacon. Plain and simple. I love using Applegate’s Whole30 approved no sugar bacon!
But nothing makes me happier than how easily it is to whip up this salad.
Cook your bacon. I prefer to cook bacon in my oven because it is less messy. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Place bacon strips on lined baking sheet and bake until cooked through and crispy, about 20 – 25 minutes. Roughly chop.
Prepare your kale. Using your hands or a knife, remove the kale leaves from their stems and chop into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle a dash of sea salt over the kale and use your hands to massage the kale by lightly scrunching handfuls of kale in your hands. Release and repeat until the kale becomes darker in color and more fragrant. Transfer the kale to a medium serving bowl.
Prepare your brussels sprouts. Chop off and discard the stem end of the brussels sprouts and any discolored outer leaves. Using your food processor and the slicing disk, slice the brussels sprouts and add to the bowl with the kale.
Make your dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, vinegar, miso, maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Some brands of tahini are thicker than others, so if your dressing is too thick, add a bit more water and/or vinegar, to taste. Pour the dressing over the kale and sprouts and mix well.
Make your salad! Add the chopped bacon and crumbled parmesan to the salad and toss. Serve immediately.
I know you are going to love this brussels sprout salad recipe!! When you make this for salad month, post a picture on social media and use the hashtag #imhungrybynature so that I can see!
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Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Kale and Bacon
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 2 large servings 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
Salad
- 1/2 pound bacon
- 1 bunch of curly green kale
- 1/2 pound brussels sprouts
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/4 cup crumbled Parmesan*
- dash of sea salt
Tahini-maple dressing
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 teaspoons white miso*
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup*
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- 1/8 cup water
Instructions
- Cook your bacon. I prefer to cook bacon in my oven because it is less messy. Heat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Place bacon strips on lined baking sheet and bake until cooked through and crispy, about 20 – 25 minutes. Roughly chop.
- Prepare your kale. Using your hands or a knife, remove the kale leaves from their stems and chop into small, bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle a dash of sea salt over the kale and use your hands to massage the kale by lightly scrunching handfuls of kale in your hands. Release and repeat until the kale becomes darker in color and more fragrant. Transfer the kale to a medium serving bowl.
- Prepare your brussels sprouts. Chop off and discard the stem end of the brussels sprouts and any discolored outer leaves. Using your food processor and the slicing disk, slice the brussels sprouts and add to the bowl with the kale.
- Make your dressing. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the tahini, vinegar, miso, maple syrup and red pepper flakes. Whisk in the water until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Some brands of tahini are thicker than others, so if your dressing is too thick, add a bit more water and/or vinegar, to taste. Pour the dressing over the kale and sprouts and mix well.
- Make your salad! Add the chopped bacon and crumbled parmesan to the salad and toss. Serve immediately.
Notes
Omit Parmesan, miso, and maple syrup for Whole30.
Keywords: easy dinner, whole30
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